Winter Sunlight

Wanted to share with you the new crochet table cloth I found while out junking. It was sealed in a plastic bag and labeled "72 x 72 inches, over 60 years old, and no stains or holes". So I doubled checked the stain/hole statement with the gal that checked me out, paid, and went my merry way.

I was thinking this would look awesome on my double bed...well think again, because the measurement was off, it was only 48" x 72".

 It works on my wood table but it definitely needs a larger white cloth underneath to show the color (ecru) and the swirl pattern off.  And I'm not going to use it for real...just for pretty! It's kind of difficult to find crochet table cloths that are in great condition around here.

So while I had the cloth on the table and the winter sunlight was coming in through my french doors I decided to work on my picture taking.

Three books that were published in the mid 1800's (one of my latest collecting must haves), a sterling candle holder and a very tall silver plate candle holder, with toile and script candles that I made.





Also, sitting on the books is a crown that I fashioned out of lamp parts. I have since given a coat of white gesso.







The big white cabinet in back is a great find from Elkton, Oregon...followed a garage sale sign one day when going through and this is what I found.  I keep table linens, my ironstone collection, and all my other pretties in there (or on top).






 A covered ironstone casserole (and a large soup tureen on top of the cabinet), gravy boat, and a squat pitcher. With a wonderful dappling and burst of winter sunlight!  This was during our cold snap, it was about 22 degrees outside....brrrr!

I have four of these porcelaine de Sologne plates they are 8 1/2" across and all feature a different fish. It's part of the cupboard stash.







Just a wee sampling of my silver and silver plate utensils. The spoon on the bottom is sterling and has beautiful pears at the top of the handle and "Ruth" engraved in the bowl and 1908 on the back of the handle.

Off to the left is a fish knife. I love how the handle is turned up from the blade.

From left to right; a meat fork with a pronged guard or rest (not sure), a beautiful serving fork in the grape pattern, next up is a wood handled fork,( I only have one wish I had more, it's one of my favorites) and on the very right an olive fork.
 

And two pretty floral creamers...

 As always~~~Happy Hunting and Gathering!!!

It's Been One Year

Well, it's been one year since I "Hung the Sign" did this post (my most viewed post to-date) and opened my brick and mortar shop, Paris Flea Market at 769 Virginia Avenue in North Bend, Oregon

It's been a very busy year for me.  The shop takes a lot of my time and energy, and what's left I devote to my grand children.

I take photos to do a post...but seem to never get further than that. With that said please excuse some of these photos...I have a difficult time getting a sharp and clear image (took over 200 digitals for this post alone) , hence, one of the problems of frequent posting.

And now for the photo tour......

Got two new signs for outside...this very cool VINTAGE CHIC sign and another that hangs from the awning (no pics). Already had the one to the left.

I absolutely adore this white nativity set!

I use newer NOT VINTAGE patterns for my tissue paper to wrap items in, the response is fantastic...every one notices, they even call out to others there with to come over and see.  I use to use black and cream toile tissue paper that cost a small fortune...and no one ever noticed. I very much like "keeping it simple".

I have a map of France on a cork board and have all my customers that have been to France put a pin in there favorite place.  Surprising how many people have just been to Paris.  A few people spied England and Italy and pinned locals there!!!

I had the Nutcracker with snow flakes painted on my window for the holiday season. I've always enjoyed store windows that were painted for the holidays....

Thank you for taking the time to look 

and as always...........

Happy Hunting and Gathering.

Red Tulips For My Kitchen

 Have you ever bought something specifically for another reason than yourself...like for someone else, for your booth space, or maybe your shop...and then decided to keep it? Do you think me selfish in keeping these for myself?

 

I got these two doors, ridiculously cheap, when I was out thrifting a couple of weeks ago. This past weekend I brought them in to clean and ready for the shop.  I laid them on my kitchen work table, the sun was streaming in through the french doors and I thought fleetingly "these are so beautiful I should keep 'em, maybe hang them in the side windows".  Nope, I bought them for the shop and that's where they are going!!!

At this point I decided to make myself a tea...when I opened the cupboard door (and it wasn't even the one below) the little ball that was rolling around in my head finally found it's niche.    I WANT  glass front cupboards for my kitchen, I've WANTED them for a long time, BUT I WANT VINTAGE glass front cupboards, not exactly easy to find here. But in the mean time (translates into forever) I can use these beautiful leaded glass red tulip doors on my cupboard above the cook stove.

 

This is the only cupboard on this whole wall...and it's one more than there use to be when I was growing up.  My late husband and I bought and installed these cabinets back in August of 1989...not exactly the style I would choose today. In the years since I've made some changes like having the ceiling raised to a more conventional height and added pot lights for better lighting and french doors to a covered deck.. I've just never put the effort out to re-do the cabinets.

 

And that blogland is when the realization struck! I could have a start on my glass front cupboards!!! I had my grandson, Logan, hold one up while I determined if it would work and I also snapped a few pics. 

YES!!! They will work and they are going to look fantastic. I have a few pops of red in my kitchen already.  A few minor modifications will have to be made, these are not as wide (they cover the opening but that's it), so in the middle where they meet I'll have to put in a decorative molding strip to lessen the gap in between. These changes will necessitate painting the tulip frames and the cupboard, I'm thinking white with a dark wax to age it a bit.

And when I find two VINTAGE GLASS FRONT  CUPBOARDS for the other side they will also be white (unless I really like the color I find them in). None of my cupboards have handles/hardware, again, just never got further than looking at pictures of hardware, so I'll have to look through my stash to find just the right ones for these.

Now I think I'm motivated to finish a large cabinet/shelf that I bought 4 or 5 years ago, painted last summer, and just have never finished (distressing, waxing and hanging).  It's going on the same wall, just to the left above the fridge...it's only function will be to hold vintage treasures.

Seal of approval from Logan, he thought they would look very nice and that I should keep them!!!

Happy Hunting and Gathering, and Keeping~~~until next time!!!

Makeover in White

I have no before pictures...they were just to pathetic in that faux walnut, speckled finish with really heavy, unattractive hardware. I got these little cuties several months ago in Florence, when I was up north junking. And now I have them for sale in my shop...Paris Flea Market, North Bend, Oregon.


But aren't they the cats meow now???

 
I replaced the old clunky metal hardware with new crystal knobs and I added a basket of flowers resin applique under each knob.  If you examine them closely you will see that even though I bought these at the same time from the same place the knobs are at a different height on each set. I wonder if the previous owner ever saw that?   That really through me when I was doing my measuring for the applique!!!

After sanding and priming, it still took about 4 to 5 coats of white paint to get a good coverage. I started painting with a brush on the inside and thought "the heck with this, I'm using spray paint". It was way easier. I just went over it a bit with a brush to get an even color match.  I didn't shabby them out, time will take care of that. See that little dark speck in the center top, left? Time's already ticking~~~


Until next time~~~Happy Hunting and Gathering!!!

JUNKING FINDS

Precious Metals

Thought I would show you a small gathering of what I've found when out and about junking.

 I found three vintage potato mashers with wood handles and three pressure cooker weights (look for weights on ETSY)!!!






One of each of the following: A strainer with most of the red paint still on the wood handle, a pretty oval silver plate tray, a very ornate, footed, silver plate, oval bowl (just got in La Lavande soaps in my shop~~~they will look extra special displayed in this, they smell absolutely wonderful), a Graniteware pie pan, and an all metal oval basket with leaves around the middle (I'll be using this for fall displays).

It was a kind of weighty, mashed, strained, oval day, that just kept heating up.!!!
 

This cute stainless steel tea kettle, that has the nicest sounding whistle, got a special photo shoot all of her very own!

~~~Thanks for Popping in

HAPPY HUNTING AND GATHERING!!!